I’ve been getting a ton of questions about how to get started with learning more about hormones and the best books to naturally balance female hormones. You guys know I love all things hormones, so I wanted to share some of my favorites.
Best Books to Naturally Balance Female Hormones
The first book is WomanCode, and it’s what started my hormone journey. I have done the whole hormonal birth control thing for 15+ years. I stopped taking it to have a baby, but then went back on, which was a nightmare for good two years of starting and stopping different pills because I had so many awful symptoms and side effects.
Side note: If you’re on the fence about getting off the pill, I highly recommend Beyond the Pill by Dr. Jolene Brighten. There is so much great info inside to help you make your decision. She also has a ton of free information online. Follow her on social media and sign up for her email list as well.
I was on vacation with a girlfriend, and she had brought WomanCode with her. I was casually flipping through it and things just clicked. It was exactly what I needed right then, and it opened up a whole new world to me. It definitely inspired me to go off the pill forever and get my hormones balanced once and for all. This is absolutely the #1 book I recommend to read first.
Alisa Vitta, the author, is the founder of FloLiving, a website, app, and Instagram account devoted to women’s health. All of them are amazing and free. Definitely follow FloLiving and get on the email list for all sorts of awesome information.
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
My next favorite book is The Hormone Cure. I would get this one along with WomenCode. It’s a great overview of hormones, but what I like best is the quizzes inside. They ask about symptoms that you’re experiencing and help you identify where to start as far as what’s going on with your hormones. So, for example, if you have high estrogen, low testosterone or high cortisol, you can get guidance for troubleshooting your hormonal imbalances. I’ve taken these quizzes multiple times now over the years. When I first started back in 2017, I had tons and tons of symptoms. Now in 2020, I check off fewer symptoms, which is nice because I’ve seen progress.
Hormone imbalances don’t change overnight, but if you are consistent and you make an effort, things will get better. Nowadays, I have very few symptoms, and I am 10 times happier than I was back then. My gosh, I feel like my mood was just miserable, and I always felt exhausted and gross. WomanCode and The Hormone cure were so instrumental in helping me “bio-hack” myself to better hormones.
Related: The Hormone Reset Diet. Obviously, there’s a diet component to this book. It gives a nice overview of hormones and imbalances with a specific diet protocol to follow. I thought it was helpful and definitely gave me some ideas for my diet, but I didn’t follow the meal plan exactly. However, if you need some help with your diet, it’s absolutely a great starting point. I wouldn’t buy only this book. The first two that I mentioned are more valuable as far as information and execution goes (diet is just a piece of the puzzle), but it was helpful for highlighting what’s most important in the diet and getting you started.
Up next: Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Oh, this book… I always joke that it tells you how to get pregnant as well as how NOT to get pregnant. I really love this book because I had no clue how my cycle worked until I was 37 years old. I finally picked up this book and finally learned how my body works.
That’s the thing, growing up, you don’t learn this information unless you researched on your own or had parents who were well-educated and willing to share. Personally, I didn’t even get the “birds and the bees” talk, and none of this stuff mattered until my hormones were all jacked up. And I know I’m not alone. A lot of women don’t know when they’re in their follicular phase, when ovulation happens, or even when to expect their next period. This book is very science-focused with photos, illustrations and diagrams, and it’s definitely a great book for learning about what’s happening in your body.
I think it’s really important to know what your body is doing and why. It will help you understand so much and empower you to fix these issues. At the end of the day, YOU know yourself better than any doctor and ultimately your decisions and lifestyle can help balance your hormones.
Just recently, In the Flo was published. It’s also by Alisa Vitti, the same author as WomanCode. You can find her on all sorts of podcasts right now talking about In the Flo, and, my gosh, what she says is fascinating. It takes your cycle to a whole new level! Basically, synching your cycle to your everyday life and making it work for you. She specifically talks about workouts, productivity/big projects, social situations, and when to be more introspective, all related to your menstrual phases. There’s also a 28-day plan, a daily planner, case studies, and all sorts of bio-hacking tools. It’s such a great book!
I hope you found these recommendations for books to naturally balance female hormones helpful. I’ve read all sorts of hormone books over the years and these are definitely my favorites and ones I re-read and reference frequently. Learning about hormones is fun for me, and I love to help others learn, so please reach out if you have any specific questions. More than happy to help!
